If you can't annoy somebody, there's little point in writing

[Massimo]

"If you can't annoy somebody, there's little point in writing." Kingsley Amis

Also, if you can't shock the reader, either in a positive or negative way, why writing at all? Belief, certainties, assumptions, should be shaken and make readers questions themselves, 'wow, what would I've done in a similar situation'.

I love when I received those reviews, and I don't care whether it is a one-star because the reader couldn't stand the provocation, or a 5-star because the reader discovered something she didn't know about herself.

[Tui]

So true! This is pure gold (apologies for the cliche) but we should set out to annoy those who we most hope to get through to perhaps. I hope I annoy all those who like to kill dolphins and whales.

[Massimo]

Tui wrote: " I hope I annoy all those who like to kill dolphins and whales."

Those ones needs to be stopped more than annoyed; but annoyed is a good start.